to know and remember. Find the motivation to absorb information and improve retention.

You will need Techniques Purpose Visualization and focus. Step 1. Skim information slowly

at first to remember what you read. Never use this as a primary means of absorbing information,

but always as a preparation for gathering key points. Machines that train the eyes to

scan and select meaning and context rather than picking out the smaller letter arrangements

help speed reading and deepen concentration. Step 2. Read word groups rather than single

words by developing the habit of snapping the eyes across or down the page. Step 3.

Categorize and associate information you read with other knowledge in your life, to establish

familiar cues for retrieving facts. Step 4. Take succinct notes on significant facts and

information when reading books or studying for exams. Say the words aloud to hear yourself

and help commit it to memory. Repeat the process. Step 5. Study with purpose and confidence,

interacting with the material. Compare and contrast what is being memorized and paraphrase

for simplified understanding. Grill yourself with questions to reinforce the lesson. Avoid

lazily highlighting everything. Highlight key passages, words, or phrases. Step 6. Visualize

faces with names that have to be remembered. Link important dates in your assignment mentally

by picturing significant calendar events, birthdays, or holidays near the newly learned

dates. Step 7. Concentrate with purpose on one thing at a time -- a paragraph, a sentence,

or a word. Disallow any distractions, focusing on the meaning, and test to make sure you

have it before moving on. Step 8. Pay attention to the times of day when you're most alert

and schedule your study time accordingly. Work in short bursts at first to expand attention

and grasp. Did you know More than 300,000 iPads were sold on the first day they hit

the market.